Two campuses within the University of Wisconsin System announced Tuesday they are offering employees a voluntary retirement buyout with a one-time payout equal to 50% of an employee's annual base salary.

The buyouts at UW-Oshkosh and UW-Green Bay offer the same payout, but the eligibility requirements are different. At UW-Green Bay, the offer is being extended to all employees 55 and older who have at least five years of service. At UW-Oshkosh, employees must be at least 60 and have 25 years of service to the state to be eligible.

Tuesday's announcements bring to four the total number of campuses seeking to reduce their workforce through voluntary buyouts in the face of state budget cuts. UW-Eau Claire was the first campus to make the offer, followed last week by UW-Superior.(315)

Packers are high on Jamari Lattimore...but Brad Jones is still the starter

Green Bay — June is a month for experimenting. The Green Bay Packers have mixed in several combinations through OTA’s and minicamp. And inside linebacker Jamari Lattimore is clearly a player they value.

In Year 4, Lattimore could see an expanded role. But Brad Jones, for now, remains a starter at inside linebacker.

“Brad’s our starter, until I’m told otherwise,” linebackers coach Winston Moss said. “Brad has fought through injuries as of late, (but) when Brad is healthy and Brad is dialed in, Brad was playing his (expletive) off as well. We’ve got some guys who are very capable of being good vs. the run, can cover vs. the pass and can blitz the quarterback.”

So while, yes, Lattimore is being used more in practice, the team still holds Jones in very high regard.

Jones, 6 foot 3, 242 pounds, is the one who inked a three-year, $11.25 million deal after totaling 77 tackles in 10 starts the 2012 season. Then, in 2013, Jones was hampered by injuries. Jones missed 3 ½ games due to a hamstring injury and 1 ½ to an ankle injury in finishing with 84 tackles (60 solo) and three sacks. He was also beat for five 20-yard pass plays.

Green Bay did not draft an inside linebacker. Both C.J. Mosley and Ryan Shazier were gone by the time the Packers were up at No. 21 overall. Still, Lattimore and Sam Barrington figured to be legitimate competition for Jones this year.

On Tuesday, Moss strongly defended Jones and the presence he brings to Green Bay’s defense when he’s healthy. The Packers still remember what he did in 2012, taking over as Plan C once Desmond Bishop and D.J. Smith suffered season-ending injuries.

Essentially, the Packers are hoping that Brad Jones returns.

“He was highly productive," Moss said of the former 3-4 outside linebacker. "He was able to go in, take the tight end away as well from a guy who was primarily a rusher. To go in and effectively play that sub position and be productive playing the run on first and second down, you have to give him some credit. We felt good enough about him to be a three-down player. He actually has gone in and taken that dime linebacker position and he was doing that well.

“Again, it comes back to if he can stay healthy or not. When he was healthy, he was highly productive.”

With what Jones has been asked to do in Green Bay’s defense --- as a base 3-4 ILB and covering in nickel/dime --- Moss has been pleased.

“That position has primarily been a make tackles, when the opportunity presents itself and you have a chance to make a play go make it,” Moss said. “There were a lot of opportunities elsewhere to make some plays and that’s an area we have to step up in as well, as far as outside linebackers.”

For now, it appears Lattimore is still on deck. He was the inside linebacker next to A.J. Hawk when Jones and Rob Francois went down, and his game packed a punch.

The 6-foot-2, 237-pound Lattimore brought a thumping level of aggression with 35 tackles and two sacks.

“He stepped up,” Moss said. “To his credit, he played his (expletive) off when he was in the game for at least a few starts. So he ended up still playing at a high level, for the most part. … This year, you’re looking for him to pick up where he left off and whatever we ask him to do and however we ask him to do it, he should be ready to go. His attitude is ‘Hey, I’ve gone in the game, I’ve done some good things. If I’m given an opportunity, I should continue to be very productive.’”

When training camp arrives, maybe competition does heat up and we see Lattimore and/or Barrington compete for roles. It's early. For now, it’s Jones and Hawk inside with others challenging.

Moss did indicate that Lattimore, primarily a special teams player for three seasons, is hungry for more defensive snaps.

“He’s a person that has conveyed that he wants to be a very productive player. He wants to be a playmaker,” Moss said. “He wants to be an impact player. So far it’s been primarily on special teams, and we can only see if that’s going to be the same or see what’s going to happen as far as playing on defense. But there could be an opportunity there.

“If it does show up, he’s got to be ready to take it. Seize the moment.”

(Journal Sentinel photo by Mark Hoffman)

About Tyler Dunne

Tyler Dunne covers the Green Bay Packers. He has been on the beat since 2011, winning awards with the Pro Football Writers of America and Milwaukee Press Club.